Water meter



oct. 26, 1937. H, R. ANDREW 2,097,360

WATER METER Filed Deo. 19, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2.

g f Z5 o I I I I I l @gri \ |l L H l 'I Inventor H12/5772 drew,"

raieniee er. ze, i937 f @Wng@ iTED STATES` PATENT- WATER METER Harry R. Andrew, Roswell, N. Mex.

Application December 19, 1935, Serial No. 55,262

2 claims. (ol. 73-230) Y This invention relates to meters for measuring through the medium of a coupling sleeve it the flow of water and the meter of the present which is screw threadedly engaged with the casinvention is particularly designed for use in ing I6 and the bushing ll as clearly shown in measuring the flow of water in terms of cubic Figure l. Above the bushing il the shaft l is 5 feet or gallons from very low pressure wells. provided with a safety collar i9 as shown. Col- Among the objects of the invention are to prolar IS vis provided to engage the bushing il to vide in a meter of this character an improved limit downward movement of shaft l5 in the drive mechanism for the gear-train of a conevent of breakage occurring in the shaft above ventional meter structure; to provide an imthe collar. l0 proved governor structure forming part of the On the lowermost end of the drive shaft i5 l0 aforesaid drive means; and in general to prois a longitudinally tapered screw impelier which vide a meter unit simple in installation and concomprises a tubular hub 2li having integral struction and economical to use. therewith vor otherwise secured thereto a spiral The invention together with its objects and vane 2|. The hub 2li of the impeiler is secured advantages will be best understood from a study to the shaft l5 in any suitable manner and is 15 of the following description taken in connection confined on the shaft between a collar 22 and a with the accompanying drawings wherein: lower lock nut 23. Thus it will be seen that Figure l is an enlarged View partly in section water flowing through` the *pipeV lil will impinge and partly in elevation illustrating the applicaupon the vanes 2| so as to drive the shaft iii.

tion cf the invention. Also mounted on the shaft i5 between the 20 Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the casing I6 and the aforementioned impeller is a governor. governor indicated generally by the reference Figure 3 is a top plan of the governor the numeral 24. drive shaft being shown in section. As best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the governor 25 Figure i is a .fragmentary detail view show- 24 comprises a housing in the form of a pair of 25 ing the connection between the drive shaft and complemental spaced plates 25 secured at opthe gear train for transmitting movement from posite sides of the shaft l5 as at 26. Pivoted bethe drive shaft to the train, and tween corresponding portions of the plates 25 at Figure 5 is a perspective View of a connecting opposite sides of the shaft l5, and as indicated link. v generally at 21 are substantially segmental 30 Referring to the drawings by reference nushaped weights or governor arms 23, the weights merals it will be seen that ill indicates generally 28 being pivoted near their respective upper ends a pipe serving in the present instance as an inas shown. f take pipe for the housing li in one end of which On the arcuate edges thereof adjacent the the pipe EE is threaded. Threaded into one side free end of the arms or weights.` 28, the same of the housing il is a pipe l2 which serves as an are provided with outstanding apertured lugs outlet pipe for the housing, the arrangement which receive, respectively7 a hook-end of a just described being so placed in the water conlink 29. duit of the well pump that the water pumped 'Ihe links 29 have additional hook-ends which 40 from the well will pass through the pipe Ill into are engaged with eyes 30 on opposite sides of a 40 the housing li and from the housing ll through suitable Weight 3l that is slidable on the shaft the pipe i2 to the point of use. l5 below the housing plates 25, the links 29 thus Threaded into the top of the housing ll is a serving to connect the weight 3l with the govplug-cap i3 provided in its top side with sockets ernor arms 28. Manifestly weight Si normally iii for accommodating a spanner wrench or simitends to retain the arms 23 against the action of lar tool to facilitate removal and placement of centrifugal force, inwardly between the plates 25. the plug-cap I3. Manifestly, the governor will serve to control the A drive shaft l5 has an upper portion jourspeed of rotation of the shaft l5 in proportion naied within a tubular casing i5 one end of to the flow of the water through the pipe lil.

which is threaded through a central opening in Bolted or otherwise secured as at i2 to the 50 the plug-cap i3. plug i3 is a gear case 33 provided with a suit- The drive shaft i5 at the lower end of the tuable, and in the the present instance, hinged lid bular casing I6 works through a bushing I1 of 34. Secured to the underside of, and depending rubber or other elastic material secured in abutfrom the lid 34 is a suitable frame structure 35 55 ting relation to the lower end of the casing I6 in which is a conventional train of meter-gearing 3e which includes among other parts a pinion provided with a key 3l'. Also the gear train @Si includes a drive shaft 38 that extends through the lid lili and is adapted to be connected with the index-arm or pointer of a conventional register equipped for indicating a water flow in terms of cubic feet or gallons. Since the specific water register is not of the essence of the present invention a more detailed showing and reference thereto are deemed unnecessary.

The drive shaft I5 has a reduced upper end I5d that works through a gland structure consisting of a stuffing box 39 threaded on the upper end of the casing I 6; a packing washer 4g resting on the upper end of the casing I6, a packing il and a gland nut ft2 the latter beingvthreaded in the upper end of the box 39 and confining, with the washer 40, the packing 4I Within the boxing 39.

Secured on the reduced end I5 of the drive shaft is a head 43, which as best shown in Figure i is provided with an eccentrically disposed pin 413 having bearing engagement with the aforementioned key 31 of the gear train.

From the above it will be apparent that as the shaft I5 is caused to rotate pin 44 engaging the key 3'! will transmit drive from the shaft S to the gear train and from the gear train through the shaft 38 to the indicator part, such as for example the index-arm or pointer of a water meter assembly. Thus in this manner the flow of water through the pipe I0, housing I I and pipe i?. may be measured in cubic feet or gallons, and when the device is used in conjunction with low pressure wells, the same Will be found, due to the specific construction of the impeller and also of the governor, suitable for the registering of the quantity of water correctly at different positions of the wall valve.

In actual practice it has been found that with the helical n or vane ZI of the impeller properly balanced no upward thrust or downward pull on the drive shaft is exerted whenthe well is owing. Also, by providing the hard rubber bushing Il for the shaft I5, and a reduction in diameter at the upper end I5a of said shaft friction is reduced considerably and, as is shown, a comparatively small stumng box assembly may be employed while at the same time the gear box will be watertight.

The governor will also serve to retard the speed of the drive shaft when the valve of the well is fully open. In this connection it will be apparent that the arms 28 of the governor will tend to rise to substantially right angles to the drive shaft at high speed causing a friction in the water serving to retard the speed of the drive shaft. Thus, as the flow of the water is reduced, so is the speediof the drive shaft diminished, the arms of the governor gradually dropping down alongside the drive shaft causing less friction and thereby giving the impeller more power when the well ow is reduced. As a result a correct reading of the register will be obtainable when the flow of the water is reduced by closing the Well valve.

It will also be understood that in actual practice any gear train can be used that is fitted with a drive arm, such as for example the key 3l, and which does not have too much friction.

Also in using standard piping at I il, il, and I2 an inexpensive housing is provided for the device to the end that the meter unit involving the features of the present invention is simple in installation and construction and will be economical in use.

While I have herein described and illustrated the invention as being adapted for use in measuring the flow of water from very low pressure wells, it will be understood that the invention mfay be used for the measurement of the flow of fluid of all character and that accordingly it is no wise intended to limit the invention to the Vuse herein specifically set out, since the invention is highly adaptable for the measurement of other fluids including oil run from storage tanks at well locations into pipe lines as well as for the measuring of the flow of water from artesian wells as herein specified.

It is to be further understood that it is in no wise intended to limit the invention in the pre- Having thus described the invention, what is 3 claimed as new is:

l. In a fluid meter, a housing through which fluid passes, a meter gearing train, means to support the meter gearing train, a vertical shaft operatively connected with the meter gearing train, a fluid operated impeller carried by the shaft, and a governor mounted on the shaft above said impeller, said governor comprising a pair of' spaced complemental plates secured to the shaft, weight arms pivoted at their upper ends between said plates at diametrically opposite sides of the shaft, a weight member slidably mounted on the shaft between said plates and the impeller, and links operatively connecting said weight member with said weight arms; said plates having their respective opposite end portions of an edge contour corresponding somewhat to the edge contour of said weight arms and adapted to receive said weight arms therebetween when the governor is at rest, and with the weight arms substantially entirely concealed between said ends of the plates when the governor is at rest.

2. In a fluid meter, a housing through which fluid passes, a vertical operating shaft for the meter vertically disposed within said housing, a fluid operated impeller mounted on said shaft and a governor mounted on said shaft and consisting of a pair of spaced complemental plates secured to the shaft, weight arms pivoted at their upper ends between said plates at diametrically opposite sides of the shaft and normally concealed by said plates, a weight member slidably mounted on said shaft, and links operatively connecting said weight member with said weight arms.

HARRY R. ANDREW. 

